U.S. patent application number 17/321621 was filed with the patent office on 2021-11-18 for pressed carrier with partial backlighting.
The applicant listed for this patent is Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Philipp GRUHN, Renate KORN, Marlies MICHEL, Bernhard SCHMID.
Application Number | 20210354639 17/321621 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005638472 |
Filed Date | 2021-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210354639 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GRUHN; Philipp ; et
al. |
November 18, 2021 |
Pressed Carrier With Partial Backlighting
Abstract
A molded part, in particular to an interior trim part of a motor
vehicle, consists of a pressed carrier, formed from a fiber-plastic
composite, a carrier structure made of a plastic for fixedly
arranging the molded part on a motor vehicle, and a light source.
The carrier structure is molded with an injection molding method to
a surface of a rear side of the pressed carrier such that the
carrier structure lies flat directly against the surface, in
particular the entire surface, of the rear side of the pressed
carrier. The pressed carrier is at least translucent, and the
carrier structure is opaque. The carrier structure has at least one
cutout, which forms a through opening to the surface of the pressed
carrier. The light source is arranged for backlighting purposes on
the rear side of the pressed carrier such that, with appropriate
use, light is visible on a viewing side of the pressed carrier.
Inventors: |
GRUHN; Philipp; (Muenchen,
DE) ; KORN; Renate; (Muenchen, DE) ; MICHEL;
Marlies; (Oberschleissheim, DE) ; SCHMID;
Bernhard; (Hallbergmoos, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft |
Muenchen |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005638472 |
Appl. No.: |
17/321621 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Q 3/54 20170201; B60Q
2500/10 20130101; B60R 13/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60R 13/02 20060101
B60R013/02; B60Q 3/54 20060101 B60Q003/54 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 18, 2020 |
DE |
10 2020 113 334.0 |
Claims
1. A molded part of a motor vehicle, comprising: a pressed carrier
formed from a fiber-plastic composite; a carrier structure made of
a plastic for fixedly arranging the molded part on the motor
vehicle; and a light source, wherein the carrier structure is
molded with an injection molding method to a surface of a rear side
of the pressed carrier such that the carrier structure lies flat
directly against the surface of the rear side of the pressed
carrier, wherein the pressed carrier is at least translucent, and
the carrier structure is opaque, wherein the carrier structure has
at least one cutout, which forms a through opening to the surface
of the pressed carrier, and wherein the light source is arranged
for backlighting on the rear side of the pressed carrier such that,
when providing backlighting, light is visible on a viewing side of
the pressed carrier.
2. The molded part according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
cutout of the carrier structure is formed on the surface of the
pressed carrier as a symbol or a character.
3. The molded part according to claim 2, wherein the carrier
structure has a multiplicity of cutouts, and wherein the cutouts on
the surface of the pressed carrier form lettering or a graphic.
4. The molded part according to claim 1, wherein the carrier
structure is a stiffening structure for the pressed carrier.
5. The molded part according to claim 1, wherein the pressed
carrier comprises a translucent or transparent upper layer on a
surface on the viewing side, and an upper layer on the pressed
carrier is a textile material, an imitation leather, a perforated
leather, or a lacquer.
6. The molded part according to claim 2, wherein the carrier
structure of the pressed carrier and the at least one cutout of the
carrier structure are producible in a common production step of the
injection molding method.
7. The molded part according to claim 2, wherein the pressed
carrier is translucent in a manner such that the at least one
cutout is visible from the viewing side of the pressed carrier in a
state in which the light source provides backlighting for the
pressed carrier and is not visible in a state in which the light
source does not provide backlighting for the pressed carrier.
8. The molded part according to claim 1, wherein the fiber-plastic
composite of the pressed carrier is formed via natural fibers,
fibers of flax, fibers of hemp, recycling fibers, polyester fibers,
PET fibers, thermoset fibers, pressed PE(S) fibers, and/or mixed
fibers.
9. The molded part according to claim 1, wherein the pressed
carrier is transparent.
10. The molded part according to claim 1, wherein the carrier
structure lies flat directly against the entire surface of the rear
side of the pressed carrier.
11. The molded part according to claim 1, wherein the molded part
is an interior trim part of the motor vehicle.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119
from German Patent Application No. 10 2020 113 334.0, filed May 18,
2020, the entire disclosure of which is herein expressly
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a molded part, in particular to an
interior trim part of a motor vehicle, consisting of a pressed
carrier, formed from a fiber-plastic composite, of a carrier
structure made of a plastic for fixedly arranging the molded part
on a motor vehicle, and of a light source.
[0003] Molded parts for an interior of a motor vehicle are
typically decorative parts or a pure design element in the vehicle
interior, for example having a wood veneer appearance or an
aluminum appearance on the viewing side facing the passenger
compartment. In the course of the functionalization and
individualization of the vehicle interior, molded parts are
provided for example with light effects for bringing out symbols or
cutouts in order to visually upgrade them. A lighting event without
any visible light guide, however, has so far been very complicated
to produce, since a graphic or lettering is produced via a printed
layer or a special intermediate layer. Symbols are in part
projected from the rear side onto layers of the molded part by
means of corresponding illumination, wherein the symbols thus
illustrated often appear blurred and without clear delimitation,
which means they are difficult to make out and to read.
[0004] Furthermore, further solutions are known, in which operating
and display functionalities are integrated into molded parts or
vehicle molded parts. In a non-used or switched-off state, the
graphic or the lettering is usually visible, with the result that
the visual appearance of the interior trim part is disrupted and
the design is negatively impacted.
[0005] It is therefore the object of the present invention to
provide a molded part, in particular an interior trim part of a
motor vehicle, on whose viewing side display functions or a graphic
or lettering is presentable and which has a visually non-disrupted
appearance when the display function is deactivated or not in
use.
[0006] The invention proposes a molded part, in particular an
interior trim part of a motor vehicle, comprising a pressed
carrier, formed from a fiber-plastic composite, of a carrier
structure made of a plastic for fixedly arranging the molded part
on a motor vehicle, and of a light source. The carrier structure is
here molded with an injection molding method to a surface of a rear
side of the pressed carrier such that the carrier structure lies
flat directly against the surface, in particular the entire
surface, of the rear side of the pressed carrier. The pressed
carrier is furthermore at least translucent, and the carrier
structure is opaque. The carrier structure furthermore has at least
one cut-out, which forms a through opening to the surface of the
pressed carrier. Moreover, the light source for backlighting
purposes is arranged on the rear side of the pressed carrier such
that, with appropriate use, light is visible on a viewing side of
the pressed carrier. The advantage here is that, without further
components, a backlit pressed interior trim part is provided, in
which the partial screening function is produced by means of the
typically already existing back molding. In this way, a lighting
event can be realized with, for example, an LED light source,
without a visible light guide.
[0007] Provision is made in an advantageous embodiment variant for
the at least one cutout of the carrier structure to be formed on
the surface of the pressed carrier in the form of a symbol.
Furthermore, provision is made according to the invention in a
further advantageous variant for the carrier structure to have a
multiplicity of cutouts and for the cutouts on the surface of the
pressed carrier to form lettering or a graphic. In this way, the
viewing side of the molded part is able to be designed as desired
and individually, with the result that the molded part or in
particular the interior trim part is adaptable to corresponding
specifications or customer wishes.
[0008] The molded part is preferably formed such that the carrier
structure is a stiffening structure for the pressed carrier. It is
expedient here that there are more functions of the molded part or
interior trim part, since, in addition to the design functions, the
function of stiffening of the molded part or of the interior trim
part is also covered.
[0009] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, provision is
made for the pressed carrier to comprise a translucent or
transparent upper layer on a surface on the viewing side. The upper
layer is a textile material, an imitation leather, a perforated
leather, or a lacquer. The advantage of this is that the design of
the viewing side of the molded part is further variable by means of
the upper layer and the backlighting or the light that is visible
of the back-lighting on the viewing side of the molded part is able
to be influenced.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present molded part,
provision is made for the carrier structure of the pressed carrier
and the at least one cutout of the carrier structure to be
producible in a common production step of the injection molding
method. In this way, the molded part or interior trim part can be
produced off-tool or without further production steps in this
production step without any additional outlay.
[0011] The molded part according to the invention is formed in one
embodiment variant such that the pressed carrier is translucent in
a manner such that the at least one cutout is visible from the
viewing side of the pressed carrier in a state in which the light
source provides backlighting for the pressed carrier and is not
visible in a state in which the light source does not provide
back-lighting for the pressed carrier. In this way, a visually
non-disrupted appearance is ensured when the display function is
deactivated or not used.
[0012] In an alternative embodiment of the present molded part,
provision is furthermore made for the fiber-plastic composite of
the pressed carrier to be formed by means of natural fibers, fibers
of flax, fibers of hemp, recycling fibers, polyester fibers, PET
fibers, thermoset fibers, pressed PE(S) fibers, and/or mixed
fibers. These materials are particularly suitable for a
fiber-plastic composite component that is intended to have
translucent properties.
[0013] Moreover, an embodiment variant in which the pressed carrier
is transparent is expedient. It is expedient because, in some
applications, it is necessary or desired for the components behind
the surface to be visible from the viewing side.
[0014] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a molded part, formed of a
pressed carrier, a carrier structure, and a light source,
[0016] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the molded part, formed of a
pressed carrier, a carrier structure, and a light source.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a molded part 1,
formed of a pressed carrier 2, a carrier structure 3, and a light
source 5. The pressed carrier 2 is formed from a translucent
fiber-plastic composite, which is formed by means of mixed fibers
of natural fibers and polyester fibers. Furthermore, the pressed
carrier 2 has, on a surface on the viewing side, a translucent
upper layer made of a textile material.
[0018] The pressed carrier 2 is rectangular and plate-shaped, and a
carrier structure 3 is molded with an injection molding method to a
surface of a rear side of the pressed carrier 2 such that the
carrier structure 3 lies flat directly against the entire surface
of the rear side of the pressed carrier 2. Moreover, the carrier
structure 3 is formed from an opaque plastic and for the purpose of
fixedly arranging the molded part 1 on a motor vehicle. The carrier
structure 3 is here a stiffening structure for the pressed carrier
2.
[0019] The carrier structure 3 has the shape of a T-carrier, which
divides a rear side of the pressed carrier 2 into two regions
having, in each case, one light source 5, which are not illustrated
or are obscured in FIG. 1.
[0020] The carrier structure 3 has a multiplicity of cutouts 4,
which form in each case lettering with the word "GRAPHIC" on the
surface of the pressed carrier 2 in both regions of the rear side.
The carrier structure 3 of the pressed carrier 2 and the respective
cutouts 4 of the carrier structure 3 are produced in a common
production step of an injection molding method.
[0021] One of the two light sources 5 is in a switched-on state,
and the other is in a switched-off state. The light source 5 is
here arranged in each case for back-lighting purposes on the rear
side of the pressed carrier 2 such that, with appropriate use,
light is visible on a viewing side of the pressed carrier 2. Since
the pressed carrier 2 is translucent such that the cutouts 4 are
visible from the viewing side of the pressed carrier 2 in the state
in which the light source provides backlighting for the pressed
carrier 2, one region shows the lettering "GRAPHIC". In the other
region, the light source does not provide backlighting to the
pressed carrier 2, and consequently the lettering is not visible
either.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the molded part 1,
illustrated in FIG. 1, consisting of the pressed carrier 2, the
carrier structure 3, and the light source 5. The carrier structure
3 has seven cutouts 4, which each form a through opening to the
surface of the pressed carrier 2 and as a result of which the
lettering with the word "GRAPHIC" is formed.
[0023] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to
illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since
modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit
and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the
art, the invention should be construed to include everything within
the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *